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Movie Reviews

One of the finer anime's around

Clarissa | Ontario, California | 12/10/2004

(5 out of 5 stars)

"What initially drew me to this series was the name Witch Hunter Robin, but then when I learned that it came from the same brilliant creators that brought us Cowboy Bebop I knew this was something I had to check out without quite knowing what I was getting myself into. Watching 'Arrival' through for the first time left me feeling a bit disappointed as the look and feel were completely different from Cowboy Bebop but now I greatly appreciate that. In the beginning I felt that the characters had no emotion and that the episodes were all so redundant and predictable but after viewing them a few more times I've come to think otherwise. Indeed, the storylines are not that complex and they do move a little slow but, rest assured, they become more interesting as the series moves on. The premise of vol. 1 is basically introducing all the characters and how they interact with one another. There's the aloof Amon (the team's most experienced member); Michael Lee (the chief hacker); Dojima (the spoiled daughter of a rich family who's always fashionably late); Haruto and Karasuma (a rookie and a physic by touch); and of course Robin Sena who is a young 15-year-old craft user sent in as a replacement six months after losing one of their own. They are all part of the STNJ: a secret organization who hunt and capture witches without killing them. They are then sent off to the factory once hit with special bullets that cause the witches to lose the strength of their powers. And what happens to them there is later revealed...

On vol. 1 we deal with a witch who reportedly cursed his victim to death without ever laying a finger on him...A witch who absorbs the life energy of other witches, or descendants of witches, to remain eternally young...An artist who kills those who get between them and what they happen to be painting at the time...And a witch that seeps into people's minds, implementing them with terror and bringing those feelings to a boil so they become more susceptible to their powers.

This is a great show with wonderful animation, a simple yet intricate plot (meaning you do need to remain attentive to follow along but it doesn't require too much thinking), and a supernatural flair to it all. However, don't expect to be scared out of your wits here. It's more in the vein of X-Files, as many have compared this to before, and understandably so. It's actually a suspenseful drama that relies on some spooky atmosphere, and its subtle approach works very well. Also, the English voices are dead on which only adds to the enjoyment. You may even recognize some voices, such as Karasuma (Faye from Cowboy Bebop) and Amon (Alucard from Hellsing), but as I sit here listening to them talk I don't invision them as their prior characters because their voices fit in with the personalities here on WHR perfectly. Another aspect to this show I really like is how Robin, who has the ability to start fires, is not without flaws. Her eyesight, for instance, is slightly off and she needs glasses so she can hit her targets with more precision ^_^.

It's far more expensive but I recommend buying this limited edition box of collectables if you can. Included with this DVD is the soundtrack, which is $45 alone, along with a T-Shirt, shot glass, and pictures."

Witch Hunter Robin starts tracking down the bad witches

Lawrance M. Bernabo | The Zenith City, Duluth, Minnesota | 05/03/2005

(4 out of 5 stars)

"The anime "Witch Hunter Robin" is the story of the STN-J team that protects citizens from the threat of modern day witches (a term that includes both genders). The goal is to track individuals who have the witch gene in their ancestry and take care of them before their latent abilities emerge and they harm the general population. In Volume 1 ("Arrival"), Robin Sena, a 15-year-old girl born in Japan but raised in a convent in Italy, arrives back home in Japan to be the team's new witch hunter, replacing a member who had been killed in the line of duty. Robin is a "craft-user," who has the ability to create and manipulate flame (just not very well at first). She is also reserved and cautious, except when it comes to dealing with Amon, the team leader. He is ten years older so it is hard to tell early on if he is just going to remain her mentor or if there might be more in store (go ahead, take a wild guess).

Other teenagers on the team are Miho Karasuma, a craft-user who can pick up information and impressions from objects and people, Haruto Sakaki, is quick to spring into action but usually gets hurt and causes a lot of damage, Michael Lee, the group's resident computer hacker, and Yurika Dojima, whose only talent appears to be showing up late for work. Chief Kosaka shows up and yells a lot as he runs the group's daily operations while Takuma Zaizen is the administrator for all STN operations in Japan and has introduced a substance called "orbo" to the team's operations. Orbo amulets and guns help the team resist the effects of craft against them in the field.

The DVD follows Robin and STN-J as they hunt down witches in the first four of the series 26 episodes: (1) "Replacement" has Robin joining the STN-J team, but on the first mission the other members of the team do not know that she is their new witch hunter; (2) "Addicted to Power" begins with the witch Kazuya Misawa on trial for murdering his business partner, but even though the police have tampered with the evidence it is doubtful he will be convicted, which means STN-J has to stop him before he can kill again; (3) "Dancing in Darkness" begins with the STN-J investigating a dried corpse where Robin finds a dead insect and the hunt is on for a witch who can control insects, but then it turns out the murder of witches goes back for centuries, which suggests something else might be at work; and (4) "Stubborn Aesthetics" begins with Amon giving Robin the file for a series of murder cases that may or may not be related but might involve a witch. Robin and Miho investigate the case together. (5) "Smells Like the Wandering Spirit" finds the STN-J searching a shanty town for a potential witch. When one of the homeless men runs from Sakaki he gives chase only to watch as the terrified man runs into traffic and is killed. An autopsy reveals the man was not a witch and it looks like the witch they are searching for might be able to control minds.

These first five episodes are laying the foundation for what is to come (accidents that are not accidents are key in the next several episodes). Witches are obviously bad, but the distinction between the hunted and the hunters seems rather suspect. Are we talking about the difference between good witches and bad witches or is there more going on here? Early on Robin is learning the ropes as well as getting used to her teenage teammates. Things are starting to come together slowly and given I trust the recommendations of those who urged me to check out this particular anime I am focusing on key interpersonal elements and other hints that suggest what might be coming down the road for Witch Hunter Robin and her teammates. The animation is above average but it is really character more than pictures which are carrying this anime."

The main story of witch hunter robin

Keith A. Jones | 08/01/2005

(5 out of 5 stars)

"What happens is there is a 16 year old girl called robin who is a witch and so she joins the STNJ, a secret organization which hunts down witches and captures them and put them in a factory.Robin feels lost and cant place what is going on and why does she feel lost.Witches are people with supernatural powers and robin's craft is being able to errect flames which is fire.

this show is mysteriouse and a little dramatic at the same time it makes it so you feel like the person in the show. I love witch hunter robin and hope that they continue it in the future for it is the best show i ever saw."

A laid back series

Keith A. Jones | Philadelphia PA | 01/23/2006

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Witch Hunter Robin is a laid back series even though it is meant to be different. It's a perfect blend, not too much action but just enough to keep you interested and the story catches your ear as soon as the show starts. The series is very relaxing but not boring as young Robin enters a coffee shop to have an unexpected important conversation with a bartender to help settle her into her new home. She was in an Italian convent but she was never a regular child so now at 16 she returns to where she belongs in her native Japan. She has something that can help her contain and destroy witches, she can create fire that becomes a powerful weapon but no one truly knows her level of strength. You are in for a ride but you don't find a major mystery until the middle of the series and you won't crack it until the very last episode and even then you may still have unanswered questions. These first episodes are just to settle you in to get to know the witch hunting team of the STNJ and their abilities and also the fantastic main character Robin."